§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his practice as a general rule not to grant permission of entry and settlement into the United Kingdom to any foreign national on any grounds where a person has criminal convictions against him until such time as those awaiting entry without such convictions are first allowed in and settled.
§ Mr. RaisonNo. The immigration rules already provide that a passenger, other than the wife or child under 18 of a person settled here, is to be refused entry if he has been convicted of a serious criminal offence, or if—for instance, because of his character, conduct or associations—his exclusion appears to be conducive to the public good.
§ Mr. Marlowasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the 17 countries referred to in his answer of 11 November to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Cunningham), Official Report, c. 219, setting out which countries permit as of right (a) the entry of husbands and fiancés of citizens and (b) the entry of wives and fiancés of citizens.
§ Mr. RaisonI am writing to my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. Marlowasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will detail the sequence and methodology used in assessing the agreement of a United Kingdom-based fiancée or wife to the entry clearance of her fiancé or husband.
§ Mr. RaisonThere is no standard sequence or methodology. The purpose of interviews with wives or fiancées, which are normally conducted by immigration officers, is to establish whether or not an application satisfies the requirements of the immigration rules, and all relevant matters will be covered.